Cooper in playoff picture battle; Eagles' Beltran questionable
By JEFF WALKER
Staff Writer
The District 4-5A playoff picture could become a lot clearer after this week's games.
Odessa Permian, Midland Lee, Cooper, Midland High and Odessa High are battling for the top three spots for the postseason, and four of the five play each other this week.
It is conceivable - though not likely - that five teams could finish the season with 3-2 district records. Only Abilene High has been mathematically eliminated.
In order for that scenario to play out, Permian would have to lose to Lee and Odessa High; Lee would have to beat the Panthers but lose to Midland High; Cooper would have to lose to Odessa High but then beat Abilene High; Midland High would have to win both its remaining games against Abilene High and Lee, and Odessa High would have to beat Cooper and Permian.
If all those games played out according to that plan, Lee, Permian, Cooper, Midland High and Odessa High would all finish the district season at 3-2 and Abilene High would be 0-5.
Permian travels to Midland to face the Lee Rebels in what should be the biggest game in the area this season. After losing to Odessa Permian 28-25 two weeks ago, the Cougars make a return trip to Ratliff Stadium to face the Bronchos, who must win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
If Permian makes the playoffs, it would go into the Division I bracket because the Panthers have the largest enrollment in the district. Cooper would take the top spot in the Division II bracket if the Cougars finish tied with Lee because the Cougars knocked off the Rebels last week.
If there is a four-team tie, there are three factors District 4-5A uses to determine seeding. The first is head-to-head results. If the tie isn't settled by that, positive points (margin of victory over the tied opponents) is used. If there is still a tie after that, the last playoff appearence of each team would determine the tie-breaker.
Sneezy questionable
Abilene High running back Sneezy Beltran left last week's game with Odessa High late in the third quarter with a hamstring injury. Eagles' head coach Steve Warren said Beltran is questionable for this week's game against Midland High.
"His hamstring knotted up on him last week," Warren said at the weekly coaches' luncheon. "If you watch the film you could see he was going to score but he just pulled up and almost stopped. We thought it may have just been a cramp, but he tried to come back and couldn't. It's been giving him trouble over the weekend and we're going to have him try and practice today. But we will see."
If Beltran isn't able to go against the Bulldogs, Warren said Jason Hammonds will start in his spot and Frankie Richardson, normally a fullback, will also see time in Beltran's absence.
What happened?
After such a promising start to the season - winning four of five non-district games - things have collapsed around the Eagles since district play began. Warren said he doesn't see a mathematical sequence that would allow the Eagles to make the playoffs after dropping their first three games of district. He pointed to inconsistency as the reason for AHS' decline.
"I think we've been more inconsistent our last three ball games than we had early on in the season," Warren said. "We allowed one mistake here, or one mistake there to dictate the rest of the night for us and you can't do that. You can't let one mistake or one bad play ruin the rest of the game."
Back under center
Cooper senior quarterback Jeremy Janssen, out since the first game of the season with a broken collarbone, has been cleared to resume working out with the Cougars.
"He worked out (Monday) for the first time with the idea that he'd have contact," Cooper head coach Randy Allen said. "He's a little rusty, but that's to be expected because it's the first time he's thrown with pads on. He's coming around and will only get better."
Allen said Janssen and Elliot Strader, who moved into the backup spot when Janssen went down, will each receive ample snaps this week in practice. Starting quarterback Dowell Loggains will work with the first team, Janssen will work with the first and second team and Strader will work with the second team offense.
Ford's status
Cooper middle linebacker Coby Ford, out last week with a knee injury, began jogging this week, but Allen said he isn't sure if he will be ready when the Cougars travel to Odessa.
"We're going to watch his rehabilitation," Allen said. "I think it's certain he'll be back for the Abilene High game, but it's not certain whether he can play against Odessa. Right now he's questionable, but I wouldn't count on him playing this week."
CHS, AHS ticket sales
Tickets for the Abilene High-Cooper football contest at Shotwell Stadium next week will go on sale Monday from 5-9 p.m. at each school.
Reserve seats for Abilene High will be sold in the West Abilene High Cafeteria, while reserve seats for Cooper will be sold at the North Cooper High Cafeteria.
There is a limit of 10 tickets per customer and parking will be available at both campuses after 3:30 p.m.
All tickets not sold Monday will go on sale Tuesday morning beginning at 8 a.m. at the ticket office in the AISD administration building, 842 North Mockingbird.
Jeff Walker can be reached at 676-6711 or sports@abinews.com.